housing benefithttp://www.ekklesia.co.uk/taxonomy/term/7992/all
enLow-income households increasingly exposed to rent increases, says IFShttp://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/24444
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<p>The Institute for Fiscal Studies says reforms in the pipeline mean that if rents continue to rise, support for housing costs will fall further and further behind the cost of housing.</p>
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<p>The rented sector is growing. The proportion of people in Great Britain living in private rented accommodation has more than doubled, from eight per cent in the mid 1990s to 19 per cent in the mid 2010s, while among 25- to 34-year-olds, this proportion has trebled from 12 per cent to 37 per cent. Over the same period, average private rents have risen by 33 per cent in real terms.</p>
<p>In recent years, low-income tenants have also been affected by substantial cuts to housing benefit (HB), which are currently saving the exchequer around £3 billion per year. The net result is that paying rent now uses up an average of 28 per cent of the (non-HB) income of low-income private renters (defined as those in the bottom 40 per cent of the income distribution in their region). This is up from 21 per cent in the mid 1990s. Reforms in the pipeline mean that, if rents continue to rise, support for housing costs will fall further and further behind the cost of housing.</p>
<p>These are among the conclusions from new analysis published today by IFS and funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Other key findings on the cost of renting include:</p>
<ul>
<li>Renters are paying considerably more for their homes than 20 years ago. In real terms, the median private rent paid in London was 53 per cent higher in the mid 2010s than in the mid 1990s, while in the rest of the country it was 29 per cent higher. Those rises mainly occurred in the late 1990s and early 2000s (in London) or the early and mid 2000s (elsewhere). Meanwhile, social housing rents have been consistently growing in real terms since the mid 1990s.</li>
<li>London renters spend more of their income on rent than those elsewhere and this differential has increased recently. In 2013?2015, the average share of net household income spent on rent among private renters was 40 per cent in London and 28 per cent in the rest of Great Britain. This represented a 5ppt increase in London since 2006?2008, but no change elsewhere. This is because the incomes of private renters in London fell sharply during the recession while flatlining in other parts of the country.</li>
<li>Tenants on lower incomes tend to spend greater fractions of their income on rent, even after accounting for the support they receive through HB. For example, the lowest-income fifth spend an average of 35 per cent of their (non-HB) income to pay the part of rent not covered by HB, compared with 19 per cent for the highest-income fifth.</li>
</ul>
<p>Around 1.9 million privately renting households (containing 4.8 million people) are entitled to less HB than they would have been without reforms introduced since 2011, by an average of £24 per household per week. Reforms have also cut the entitlements of 600,000 social-renting households (containing 1.3 million people) by an average of £19 per household per week.</p>
<p>The reforms have so far:</p>
<ul>
<li>Cut the HB entitlement of two-thirds of low-income private renters and one-sixth of low-income social renters.</li>
<li>Increased the number of low-income renters facing a shortfall between rent and HB entitlement by 200,000 households in the private sector (containing 600,000 people, or 12 per cent of low-income private renters) and by 300,000 households in social housing (containing 700,000 people, or 10 per cent of low-income social renters).</li>
</ul>
<p>HB entitlements are forecast to fall further behind rents in the coming years. For private tenants, this is because the locally varying caps on HB awards are no longer updated according to changes in local rent levels. These caps are to be frozen until April 2020 and then increased each year in line with national household inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI).. For social tenants, it is due to the gradual roll-out of those caps, which currently only apply to private tenants, to those in social housing from 2019. Looking at these upcoming changes:</p>
<ul>
<li>If private rents grow in line with earnings, current policy would mean the fraction of low-income private renters facing a shortfall between rent and HB entitlement increasing by a further 4ppts (200,000 people) by 2025.</li>
<li>The long-run effect of rolling caps out in the social sector is likely to be that another 200,000 low-income social tenants will have a gap between HB entitlement and rent (although it will be some time before these caps are fully rolled out to social tenants).</li>
</ul>
<p>Taking together the past and likely future effects of changes to HB policy:</p>
<ul>
<li>In the private sector, low-income working-age renters with children are the most impacted in terms of the proportion with a shortfall between HB entitlement and rent. Reforms since 2011 have already caused an extra 14 per cent of this group (approximately 500,000 people) to face such a shortfall. Continuing not to increase HB caps in line with rents would cause a further rise of 4ppts (an extra 150,000 people) by 2025 if rents grow with earnings. On the other hand, low-income working-age households without children are most impacted in terms of the proportion paying very large fractions of income in rent.</li>
<li>In the social rented sector, low-income working-age households without children are hit relatively hard by both past and future reforms. Reforms already implemented have increased the fraction of that group facing a shortfall between HB entitlement and rent by 15ppts (an extra 250,000 people). If future reforms were implemented now, this would go up by a further 6ppts (an extra 90,000 people).</li>
</ul>
<p>Agnes Norris Keiller, a Research Economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) and an author of the report, said, “Wider problems in the housing market are pushing up housing costs and increasing the size of the rented sector. While these remain unaddressed there is likely to be an ever tougher choice: continue decoupling support for housing costs for those on low incomes from the rising cost of housing or change policy and accept further rises in the housing benefit bill. The current approach effectively places most of the risk of further rises in costs onto low-income tenants, and little on the housing benefit bill. While containing the cost to taxpayers, it leaves housing benefit vulnerable to becoming increasingly irrelevant with respect to its purpose – maintaining the affordability of adequate housing for those on low incomes.”</p>
<p>* Institute for Fiscal Studies&nbsp;<a title="IFS" href="https://www.ifs.org.uk/" target="_blank">https://www.ifs.org.uk/</a></p>
<p>[Ekk/6]</p>
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EqualityLiving EconomyNews Briefhomeshousinghousing benefitifslow incomeprivate rented sectorrentUK NewsSat, 14 Oct 2017 06:28:44 +0000agency reporter24444 at http://www.ekklesia.co.ukNew report reveals forgotten homeless denied access to housinghttp://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/24415
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<p>On any given night in England, 26,000 single people<a name="_ednref1" href="https://www.crisis.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/falling-through-the-cracks-new-crisis-report-reveals-england-s-forgotten-homeless-people-being-denied-access-to-housing/#_edn1"></a> are facing homelessness across the country. Most of them have very few support needs and cannot find a home, according to Crisis, the national charity for homeless people.</p>
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<p>On any given night in England, 26,000 single people<a name="_ednref1" href="https://www.crisis.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/falling-through-the-cracks-new-crisis-report-reveals-england-s-forgotten-homeless-people-being-denied-access-to-housing/#_edn1"> </a>are facing homelessness across the country. Most of them have very few support needs and cannot find a home, according to Crisis, the national charity for homeless people.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The charity’s new research shows that this group of homeless people –&nbsp; some of whom are excluded from council housing registers due to reasons such as past rent arrears – are ending up trapped in a cycle of homelessness or stuck in temporary shelter <a name="_ednref2" href="https://www.crisis.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/falling-through-the-cracks-new-crisis-report-reveals-england-s-forgotten-homeless-people-being-denied-access-to-housing/#_edn2"></a>for months, or even years on end, as the social housing shortage and sky-high renting costs leave them with no place to call home.</p>
<p>The report&nbsp;<em>Moving On: Improving access for single homeless people in England,</em>&nbsp;looks at the barriers to housing encountered by adults who typically fall outside the protection of the current homelessness legislation because they are deemed low priority. It finds that this group’s access to social housing has been declining each year, and while many have no acute support needs, those living on the lowest incomes face significant challenges getting access to housing of any sort.</p>
<p>Crisis is calling on the Government to end councils’ use of blanket bans that stop people in housing need for registering for housing.&nbsp; Reasons for these exclusions include having insufficient local connection to an area<a name="_ednref3" href="https://www.crisis.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/falling-through-the-cracks-new-crisis-report-reveals-england-s-forgotten-homeless-people-being-denied-access-to-housing/#_edn3"></a>, a history of rent arrears or antisocial behaviour.<a name="_ednref4" href="https://www.crisis.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/falling-through-the-cracks-new-crisis-report-reveals-england-s-forgotten-homeless-people-being-denied-access-to-housing/#_edn4"></a></p>
<p>The charity says new social housing funding announced by the Government this week will help, but that rules on housing eligibility must be changed to stop some homeless people being prevented from joining housing registers.</p>
<p>As the size of the social rented sector continues to shrink, social lettings to single homeless people in England have dropped by a third from 19,000 a year in 2007-08 to just 13,000 in 2015-16, according to the report. At the same time, single homeless people face a range of exclusions from social housing registers in some council areas.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Unable to access social housing, private renting often becomes the only option available to this group of people, however, according to the report many landlords are reluctant to let properties to this group.&nbsp; Added to this, as the bite of recent welfare reforms take hold, such as reduced availability of Housing Benefit,<a name="_ednref5" href="https://www.crisis.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/falling-through-the-cracks-new-crisis-report-reveals-england-s-forgotten-homeless-people-being-denied-access-to-housing/#_edn5"></a> many are unable to afford the up-front costs and rent demands of the few available options in the private rented sector, leaving many ‘trapped with no way out of homelessness’, the report says.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Crisis is now urging the Government to adopt a joined-up approach to reform of policy on access to housing, rent setting, housing supply and the role of Housing Benefit, as well as ensuring all local authorities and housing providers play a role in providing a supply of homes for those on the lowest incomes.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Crisis is calling on the Government to:</p>
<ul>
<li>Scrap blanket housing register exclusions which mean some people in housing need can’t even register for housing</li>
<li>Boost housing supply by enabling councils or other social housing providers to build new homes at social rent level</li>
<li>Require the Homelessness Reduction Taskforce to set targets for the adequate supply of housing for single homeless people</li>
<li>Fund Help to Rent projects to support single homeless tenants and assure landlords<a name="_ednref6" href="https://www.crisis.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/falling-through-the-cracks-new-crisis-report-reveals-england-s-forgotten-homeless-people-being-denied-access-to-housing/#_edn6"></a><strong></strong></li>
</ul>
<p>Jon Sparkes, Chief Executive at Crisis, said: “As the supply of social housing in England has shrunk, and fewer new tenants get access to social rented housing, the effect on single homeless people has been devastating. To make matter worse, restricted eligibility for social housing is trapping more and more people in a cycle of homelessness that they have no route out of, and this just isn’t right.&nbsp;</p>
<p>“We know that homelessness is not inevitable. With the right assistance, single homeless people can successfully secure a home to help them rebuild their lives. That’s why we’re calling on the Government to end the use of blanket restrictions that mean people who desperately need a home aren’t denied the help they need.&nbsp;</p>
<p>“We’re glad to see that the Government has announced an initiative to build more social housing – after a long-term lack of investment&nbsp; – this announcement couldn’t have come soon enough. But we must make sure that enough of these homes are built to truly address our homelessness crisis, and to ensure people in the most vulnerable circumstances have access to them. We’re ready to work with the Government to make this work for everyone who needs it most.”</p>
<p>Key findings:</p>
<ul>
<li>The number of single people who experience homelessness in England each year is around 200,000, with the average number of single people experiencing some form of homelessness on any one night estimated to be 77,000.</li>
<li>Around two-thirds of single homeless people have support needs that mean their immediate destination should be some form of housing with tailored support such as supported housing or a Housing First solution. The rest have no acute support needs and the primary barrier to ending their homelessness is housing.</li>
<li>75,000 single people with low or no support needs experience homelessness each year while the average number of single people with low or no support needs who are homeless on any one night is 26,000.</li>
<li>Social lettings to single homeless people in England fell from 19,000 a year in 2007-08 to just 13,000 in 2015-16.</li>
<li>As the social rented sector shrinks, the private rented sector has doubled its share of households<a name="_ednref7" href="https://www.crisis.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/falling-through-the-cracks-new-crisis-report-reveals-england-s-forgotten-homeless-people-being-denied-access-to-housing/#_edn7"></a> from 10 to 20 per cent in less than 20 years – but homeless people face barriers trying to access private housing.</li>
<li>This drop is due to changes in policy on the allocation of social housing, alongside problems caused by the reducing affordability of social housing, restrictions on Housing Benefit entitlement, and housing providers’ response to these.</li>
</ul>
<p>* Read &nbsp;<em>Moving On: Improving access for single homeless people in England </em><a href="https://www.crisis.org.uk/media/237833/moving_on_2017.pdf" target="_blank">here</a></p>
<p>* Crisis <a href="https://www.crisis.org.uk/" title="https://www.crisis.org.uk/">https://www.crisis.org.uk/</a></p>
<p>[Ekk/4]</p>
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EqualityLiving EconomyNews Briefcrisishomelessnesshousing benefitlocal authoritiesprivate rented sectorsingle peoplesocial housingsupportUK governmentUK Newswelfare reformsFri, 06 Oct 2017 10:29:45 +0000agency reporter24415 at http://www.ekklesia.co.uk100 families a day lose homes after evictions reach record highhttp://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/24172
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<p>More than 100 families a day lost their homes last year, according to new figures, after the number of renters evicted from their properties reached a record high.</p>
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<p>More than 100 families a day lost their homes last year, according to new figures, after the number of renters evicted from their properties reached a record high.</p>
<p>The figures come in a new report <em>Poverty, evictions and forced moves</em>, which highlights the misery and insecurity faced by renters struggling on low incomes</p>
<p>Over 40,000 tenants were evicted from their homes by landlords in 2015 – an increase of a third since 2003 and the highest level recorded, according to the latest available figures in research for the independent Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF).</p>
<p>The increasing eviction rates are linked to the overall growth of the private rentedsector and cuts to Housing Benefit, the report by the Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research found.</p>
<p>The rise is being driven by high numbers of 'no-fault' evictions by private landlords. More than four in five of the increase in evictions are carried out under Section 21 - a law which allows landlords to evict a tenant after the initial rental period without giving a reason, and without any wrongdoing on behalf of the tenant.</p>
<p>Poverty, evictions and forced moves also carried out 145 in-depth interviews with with tenants on low incomes supported by Shelter and facing eviction, showing the stress and disruption caused to people's lives from insecure housing.</p>
<p>The report found:</p>
<ul>
<li>Changes in welfare benefits have combined to make rents unaffordable to benefit claimants in many areas. Housing Benefit no longer covers the cost of renting, with average shortfalls ranging from £22 to £70 per month outside of London, and between £124 and £1036 in inner London. This follows the cumulative impact of freezing Local Housing Allowance rates and below-inflation increases over the last six year:</li>
<li>As a result, tenants on low incomes are being evicted because their benefits do not pay market rents, and they are unable to afford alternative homes in the private rented sector, or access social housing.</li>
<li>Four out of every five repossessions using S21 are in London, the East and the South East, and nearly two-thirds are in London alone. Even within London, repossessions using S21 are highly concentrated, with a third occurring in only five boroughs: Newham, Enfield, Haringey, Brent and Croydon.</li>
<li>Of the 40,000 evictions, there were 19,019 repossessions in the social housing sector, and 22,150 in the private rented sector. The number of tenants evicted by private landlords exceeded the number evicted by social landlords for the first time in 2014. Unlike the PRS, tenants in the social housing sector can usually only be evicted for rent arrears or a breach of tenancy.</li>
</ul>
<p>Campbell Robb, Chief Executive of JRF, said: "These stark figures and harrowing stories show the struggle people on low incomes face in the private rented sector. Facing higher rents, a benefits freeze and impossible choices about what bills to pay, evictions have reached record levels and put families under enormous strain.</p>
<p>"Tenants told us about the misery and insecurity they face. The Government has made welcome moves to offer renters more protection. But it is intolerable that over 100 families a day are losing their homes. The Government must act now and take immediate action on housing costs. This means lifting the freeze on Housing Benefit."</p>
<p>Anne Baxendale, director of campaigns and policy at Shelter, said: "We are deeply concerned that the current freeze on Housing Benefit is piling a huge amount of pressure onto thousands of private renters who are already teetering on the brink of homelessness.</p>
<p>"For those hit by the freeze, Housing Benefit is falling far short of the gap between the cost of sky-high private rents and people's incomes which don't keep up. We hear from struggling families and people in low paid jobs right across the country who are being denied the essential top-up they need to afford their rent and keep hold of their home.</p>
<p>"That's why we're calling on the Government to abandon the freeze and prevent more people from facing the trauma of losing their home. And, if they really want to cut the Housing Benefit bill in the long-term, they need to urgently focus on building more high-quality homes that people on lower incomes can actually afford to live in without needing support."</p>
<p>Anna Clarke, author of the report, said: "Alongside the difficulties caused by evictions, our research highlights the complete lack of options people on low incomes face when they lose their home. Greater protection from eviction is needed, but affordable, secure alternatives are too so people do not face even more stress and costs when they are forced to move."</p>
<p>* Download <em>Poverty, evictions and forced moves </em><a href="https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/poverty-evictions-and-forced-moves" target="_blank">here</a></p>
<p>* Joseph Rowntree Foundation <a href="https://www.jrf.org.uk/" title="https://www.jrf.org.uk/">https://www.jrf.org.uk/</a></p>
<p>[Ekk/4]</p>
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EqualityLiving EconomyNews Briefevictionshousing benefitinsecurityJoseph Rowntree Foundationlocal housing allowancelow incomeprivate rented sectorsocial housingUK NewsTue, 25 Jul 2017 08:27:38 +0000agency reporter24172 at http://www.ekklesia.co.ukTreatment of disabled and unemployed people’s families an international scandalhttp://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/23556
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<h1 class="title">Treatment of disabled and unemployed people’s families an international scandal</h1>
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<p><a href="http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/23556" target="_blank">read more</a></p>Beliefs and ValuesLiving Economybenefit capbenefit cutsdisabilityesahousing benefitrentsTheresa Mayunited nationsCommentWed, 09 Nov 2016 23:05:00 +0000Savi Hensman23556 at http://www.ekklesia.co.ukConstant insecurity for council tenants will be costly http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/22473
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<h1 class="title">Constant insecurity for council tenants will be costly </h1>
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<p><a href="http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/22473" target="_blank">read more</a></p>EqualityLiving Economycouncil housinghousing and planning billhousing benefithousing policyinsecurityright to buysocial housingBlogSat, 12 Dec 2015 22:21:28 +0000Savi Hensman22473 at http://www.ekklesia.co.ukHousing: facing up to an intergenerational challengehttp://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/21635
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<h1 class="title">Housing: facing up to an intergenerational challenge</h1>
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<h3 class="field-label">Abstract</h3>
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<div class="field-item"><p>This pre-election 2015 paper from Ekklesia sets out in brief the scale of the housing crisis in Britain today, its impact on the poorest and most vulnerable, and the fundamental imbalances of wealth and distribution that characterise the current homes market. We suggest that re-investing in the social and mutual housing sectors for a broad socioeconomic swathe of the population – rather than creating ghettos of need – is critical to a fresh approach. As a modest contribution to the range of multi-layered policies that will be required to fix the housing system for this and future generations, we focus on a specific proposal from Paul Lusk for an intergenerational housing cooperative, the case for which is mapped out in detail. We then go on to note the positive role churches can play in challenging the current negative approach to housing as a social good and investment, highlighting the need to move from approaches which target the excluded poor towards ones which challenge the processes and policies that produce exclusion itself.</p>
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<div class="field-item"><a href="/user/260311" title="View user profile.">Paul Lusk</a></div>
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<div class="field-item"><p>"It is evident that fixing the housing system overall will require a large scale, multi-stranded programme: something that will involve dovetailing a number of different approaches, policies and partnerships. This needs to be a programme with the scale and vision of the Olympics. It can be done. By contrast, vague pledges from political parties to building between 200,000 and 250,000 homes a year will not succeed in addressing root problems, or alleviating the housing crisis faced by many, if a high proportion of these new homes remain unaffordable and wind up feeding a distorted market fuelled by speculation…"</p>
<p><strong>CONTENTS</strong><br />
Abstract (p1)<br />
1. Why the housing system needs a radical rethink (p2)<br />
2. A proposal for an intergenerational housing co-operative (p3)<br />
(a) Where we are now (p3)<br />
(b) Where we are going – need and opportunity (p4)<br />
(c) Housing the Please Please Me generation: a co-operative approach (p5)<br />
(d) Developing the right investment vehicle (p7)<br />
3. Demonstrating good faith in housing (p7)<br />
Author and contributors (p10)<br />
About Ekklesia (p10)</p>
<p><strong>* The full paper can be read and downloaded here (*.PDF Adobe Acrobat document): <a href="http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/sites/ekklesia.co.uk/files/intergenerational_housing.pdf" title="http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/sites/ekklesia.co.uk/files/intergenerational_housing.pdf">http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/sites/ekklesia.co.uk/files/intergenerational_h...</a> </strong></p>
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Living EconomyNews Briefagehousinghousing associationshousing benefithousing cooperativesResearchThu, 23 Apr 2015 23:00:00 +0000Paul Lusk21635 at http://www.ekklesia.co.ukHousing charity responds to Comprehensive Spending Reviewhttp://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/18590
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<p>Housing benefit could face further cuts from 2015, George Osborne announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review yesterday (26 June 2013).</p>
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<p>Housing benefit could face further cuts from 2015, George Osborne announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review yesterday (26 June 2013).</p>
<p>The Chancellor of the Exchequer revealed plans to cap annually managed expenditure, which includes housing benefit.</p>
<p>Responding to yesterday's news, Campbell Robb, Chief Executive of the housing and homelessness charity Shelter said: "It’s absolutely vital that a cap on welfare spending doesn’t result in further cuts to housing support, which would be a disaster for families already battling to stay in their homes.</p>
<p>"Housing benefit is a safety net that helps people who lose their jobs or suddenly become ill to stay in their home until they can get back on their feet. When so many families are seeing their hours cut back and are struggling to pay their rent, it’s the very last thing we can afford to undermine.</p>
<p>"If the Government is serious about cutting the welfare bill, we need more affordable homes to bring down rents so that fewer people need housing support.</p>
<p>he concluded,"So far, we haven’t seen the big and radical action that’s needed to tackle a housing shortage that’s been decades in the making."</p>
<p>[Ekk/4]</p>
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Living EconomyNews Briefbenefit capComprehensive Spending Reviewhousing benefitshelterUK NewsThu, 27 Jun 2013 08:59:49 +0000agency reporter18590 at http://www.ekklesia.co.ukChurch speaks out against bedroom tax evictionshttp://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/18425
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<p>The Church of Scotland says people should not be evicted from their homes because of the new changes to housing dubbed the ‘bedroom tax’.</p>
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<p>The Church of Scotland says people should not be evicted from their homes because of the new changes to housing dubbed the ‘bedroom tax’.</p>
<p>The Kirk's hurch and Society Council, discussing the issue on 23 May, agreed to lobby the Scottish Government to introduce legislation to prevent evictions because of the new rules which have recently been imposed by the UK Government.</p>
<p>Council convener, the Rev Sally Foster-Fulton, declared: “No-one who is making a genuine effort to pay their council tax should be put out onto the streets because of these benefit changes."</p>
<p>“This may be a UK Government policy but as a national Church in Scotland, we must do as much as we can to protect the poor, weak and vulnerable living here. There are too many well documented cases where people such as carers are being penalised under this iniquitous and devious new form of benefit cut," she said. </p>
<p>The Assembly agreed to: "Note the measures which the Scottish Government has taken to alleviate the hardship caused by the welfare reforms and urge the Scottish Government to introduce legislation to ensure that no council tenants shall be evicted for Bedroom Tax arrears, where the Director of Housing is satisfied that affected tenants are doing all they can reasonably be expected to in order to avoid falling into arrears."</p>
<p>---</p>
<p><em>The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is meeting in Edinburgh from 18-24 May 2013. Ekklesia co-director Simon Barrow and consultant Carla J Roth are there all week, reporting, liaising and commenting.</em></p>
<p>* Ekklesia reports and commentary from the 2013 Kirk General Assembly, plus those from 2012 and 2011: <a href="http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/kirkgeneralassembly" title="http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/kirkgeneralassembly">http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/kirkgeneralassembly</a></p>
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Living EconomyNews Briefbedroom taxbenefitchurch of scotlandhousing benefitkirkUK NewsFri, 24 May 2013 01:21:12 +0000agency reporter18425 at http://www.ekklesia.co.ukSharp rise in number of homeless familieshttp://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/18230
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<p>Government figures released yesterday (22 March) show a sharp increase in the number of homeless families over the past year.</p>
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<p>Government figures released yesterday (22 March) show a sharp increase in the number of homeless families over the past year.</p>
<p>In 2012, 34,080 households with children were accepted as homeless, an increase of 12 per cent on the previous year. At the end of 2012, 76,790 children were living in temporary accommodation, an annual increase of 11 per cent.</p>
<p>Currently every fifteen minutes another family find themselves homeless.</p>
<p>The figures also show an increase in the number of families living in bed and breakfast accomodation, up 29 per cent since the same time last year. Official guidance to local authorities says bed and breakfast temporary accommodation should be avoided "wherever possible". Lack of privacy, inadequate provision for cooking and washing means it is "not suitable" for families with children or for pregnant women "unless there is no alternative accommodation available and then only for a maximum of six weeks."</p>
<p>Campbell Robb, Chief Excutive of the housing and homelessnss charity Shelter said: "This is yet more proof of how families across the country are being pushed to breaking point. </p>
<p>"The crippling cost of housing, combined with rising prices, flatlining wages and cuts to housing support, is meaning many families are simply no longer able to hold on to the roof over their heads.</p>
<p>"We are extremely worried that people already feeling the squeeze because of the recession and benefit reductions will increasingly struggle as further cuts to the housing safety net come in this April."</p>
<p>Homeless Link, which represents over 400 homelessness organisations across the UK, said a lack affordable private rented accommodation meant homeless people were increasingly stuck in hostels because there was nowhere suitable to move them on to.</p>
<p>The charity's nterim chief executive Matt Harrison said: "We believe a lack of affordable accommodation, rent inflation and housing benefit restrictions are fuelling homelessness and making it more difficult to help people once they become homeless."</p>
<p>[Ekk/4]</p>
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Beliefs and ValuesLiving EconomyNews Briefbenefit capbenefit cutshomelessnesshousing benefittemporary accommodationUK NewsSat, 23 Mar 2013 10:13:58 +0000staff writers18230 at http://www.ekklesia.co.ukNationwide protests against Bedroom Tax downplayed by BBChttp://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/18181
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<p>Some 17,000 people across Britain have taken part in demonstrations against the government’s controversial ‘Bedroom Tax’ this weekend.</p>
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<p>Some 17,000 people across Britain have taken part in demonstrations against the government’s controversial ‘Bedroom Tax’ this weekend. </p>
<p>Protests were organised simultaneously at 1.00pm in 52 towns and cities across the country on Saturday 16 March, with more to follow on 30 March.</p>
<p>Tenants and their supporters have expressed their opposition to "cruel and unfair" deductions to housing benefits as a result of a so-called 'under-occupation penalty'. </p>
<p>Critics have dubbed the policy, due to come into effect at the beginning of April, 'the Bedroom Tax', to the chagrin of Prime Minister David Cameron.</p>
<p>Organisers of Saturday's demonstrations said that "this is just the beginning" of opposition to the government's repeated targeting of low income households for cuts and restrictions. </p>
<p>But there has been anger on the part of some protesters that the BBC has chosen to downplay the campaign, claiming that demonstrations had taken place in "at least 10 towns and cities", when the true figure was five times that number.</p>
<p>The Corporation also re-dubbed the events "Housing benefit change protests" in its online report, and reduced the demonstrations to an insignificant mention on its Saturday evening news - preferring instead to concentrate on a speech by David Cameron at a Conservative Party spring conference.</p>
<p>"You wonder if the Beeb is under behind-the-scenes pressure from the government, given its feeble coverage of bedroom tax protests, lack of critical reporting on the NHS crisis, lack of interest in the real impact of savage welfare cuts, and failure to probe workfare sufficiently," one protester claimed to Ekklesia. </p>
<p>Under the bedroom tax deduction, social housing tenants of working age who receive housing benefit will have their payments cut if they have one or more 'spare bedrooms' - though critics point out that the definition of 'spare' is narrow and contentious. </p>
<p>Equally, the government knows that finding alternative accommodation for the many hit by the tax will be impossible or unfeasible, say analysts. </p>
<p>Two days ago, reported Inside Housing magazine, some 7,500 members of Facebook had said they would attend the protests on Saturday with an additional 3,200 people having said they would attend protests in London and Glasgow on Sunday 30 March. Direct pledges are running at 16,000, with another 9,000 or more family members possibly ready to join in. </p>
<p>Dr Éoin Clarke, editor at Labour Left, which has helped organise the protests through social media, told Inside Housing: "We see this as a grassroots initiative... This is a cruel policy that primarily hits single parents, and the adult disabled.</p>
<p>"Even children deemed disabled but not 'severely' so, are affected. Carers, the terminally-ill, battered wives and husbands are all affected.</p>
<p>"Foster parents with more than one foster child are also hit, despite the government's talk of a U-turn. There are times in history when people must stand together in defence of common decency - that time has come," declared Dr Clarke</p>
<p>* Bedroom tax: 57 varieties of nationwide protest: <a href="http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/18178" title="http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/18178">http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/18178</a></p>
<p>* Co-ordinator: Dr Éoin Clarke (<a href="&#109;&#97;&#105;&#108;&#116;&#111;&#58;&#66;&#101;&#100;&#114;&#111;&#111;&#109;&#84;&#97;&#120;&#64;&#104;&#111;&#116;&#109;&#97;&#105;&#108;&#46;&#99;&#111;&#109;">&#66;&#101;&#100;&#114;&#111;&#111;&#109;&#84;&#97;&#120;&#64;&#104;&#111;&#116;&#109;&#97;&#105;&#108;&#46;&#99;&#111;&#109;</a>) </p>
<p>* No To Bedroom Tax: <a href="http://no2bedroomtax.co.uk/" title="http://no2bedroomtax.co.uk/">http://no2bedroomtax.co.uk/</a></p>
<p>[Ekk/3]</p>
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Living EconomyPeople and PowerNews Briefbedroom taxhousinghousing benefitprotestUK Newswelfare reformSat, 16 Mar 2013 23:02:26 +0000staff writers18181 at http://www.ekklesia.co.ukBedroom tax: 57 varieties of nationwide protesthttp://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/18178
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<h1 class="title">Bedroom tax: 57 varieties of nationwide protest</h1>
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<p><a href="http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/18178" target="_blank">read more</a></p>Living EconomyPeople and PowerNews Briefbedroom taxhousinghousing benefitprotestwelfare reformBlogFri, 15 Mar 2013 23:18:36 +0000staff writers18178 at http://www.ekklesia.co.ukScottish government offers help for those hit by UK bedroom taxhttp://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/18139
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<p>The Scottish government will offer extra advice and support to those who will lose out under UK Government housing benefit cuts like the bedroom tax.</p>
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<p>The Scottish government has announced that it will provide extra advice and support to help those who will lose out under UK Government housing benefit cuts like the bedroom tax. </p>
<p>Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said today that Holyrood is providing an additional £2.5 million to social landlords to ensure there is advice on hand for people who will lose housing benefit due to the under-occupancy measures and other housing benefit changes being introduced by Westminster. </p>
<p>Campaigners say that hugely more needs to be done to counteract the impact of Westminster's changes and cuts, but acknowledge it as a start and will be pressing the Scottish government for more action. </p>
<p>They say that changing the Housing Scotland Act 2001 would be much more effective.</p>
<p>Ms Sturgeon said: "I have made the Scottish Government’s firm opposition to the bedroom tax absolutely clear. It is a policy that will penalise some of the most vulnerable people in our society and I put the case for it to be scrapped in the strongest terms to the Deputy Prime Minister when we met in London this week. </p>
<p>"Sadly there appears to be indifference to this argument at Westminster, despite strong opposition from across Scotland. </p>
<p>"We are determined to do everything that we reasonably can to help and as part of these efforts we are making available an extra £2.5 million to social landlords to help them ensure that people affected by housing benefit changes have the advice and support they need. This is on top of the £5.4 million we have already allocated to help those affected by benefit reforms, which will go to organisations such as Citizens Advice. </p>
<p>"This extra support will assist social landlords in their efforts to engage directly with affected tenants and seek to identify ways in which they can deal with the impact of the changes. </p>
<p>"We are continuing to consider all reasonable steps that we can take to mitigate welfare cuts, including the bedroom tax. However, these unjust policies show why we need the powers of independence to protect vulnerable people rather than simply trying to cushion the blows in Scotland. </p>
<p>"It would be far better to control benefits and welfare so unfair policies like the bedroom tax are not even considered, let alone implemented," she concluded.</p>
<p>The £2.5 million will be distributed to social landlords from the financial year beginning April 2013. Details on the funding criteria and application process will be available shortly.</p>
<p>[Ekk/3]</p>
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Beliefs and ValuesLiving EconomyNews Briefbedroom taxgovernment cutshousing benefitnicola sturgeonscotlandscottishscottish governmentUK NewsSun, 10 Mar 2013 21:28:51 +0000agency reporter18139 at http://www.ekklesia.co.ukHow Iain Duncan Smith is contributing to family breakdownhttp://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/17808
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<h1 class="title">How Iain Duncan Smith is contributing to family breakdown</h1>
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<p><a href="http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/17808" target="_blank">read more</a></p>Living EconomyNews Briefbedroom taxhousing benefitIain Duncan SmithBlogWed, 16 Jan 2013 15:31:28 +0000Bernadette Meaden17808 at http://www.ekklesia.co.ukLandlords face tenants' protest over high rents and poor housinghttp://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16800
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<p>Private tenants and members of ‘Housing for the 99%’ have protested outside the National Landlords Association to call for an end to unaffordable rents.</p>
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<p>Private tenants and members of the campaign group ‘Housing for the 99%’ last week protested outside the National Landlords Association to call for an end to high rents and insecure, poor quality private rented housing. </p>
<p>The issue has received renewed attention following the Prime Minister's suggestion that housing benefit should be abolished for people aged under 25. Critics point out that the bill for housing benefit is so high because there is no cap on private sector rents and insufficient social housing.</p>
<p>Passers-by and staff at the organisation’s offices were met by a crowd, including activists in sleeping bags and cardboard boxes, highlighting how unaffordable rents and cuts to housing benefit are increasingly putting private tenants at risk of homelessness.</p>
<p>“We’re here to highlight a broken housing system, which sees millions of people paying rip-off rents for atrocious housing,” said one of the group, Christine Haigh. </p>
<p>She added, “The housing market is clearly failing everyone apart from greedy landlords. It’s time we invested in good quality public housing that ordinary people can actually afford to live in".</p>
<p>Private rents have increased at twice the rate of wages over the last decade. Yet statistics from the English Housing Survey show how private tenants are more likely to live in poor quality housing than people living in other types of housing. The past decade has seen a 1.3 million increase in the number of households in the private rented sector.</p>
<p>“High rents and vicious cuts to housing benefit are putting thousands of households at risk of poverty and homelessness,” insisted Haigh. “The answer is not to cut support for housing costs for the most vulnerable people in society but to bring in controls on runaway rents to stop us all footing the bill for the gigantic profits demanded by private sector landlords.”</p>
<p>[Ekk/1]</p>
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Living EconomyNews Briefhomelessnesshousinghousing benefitprivate rented sectorUK NewsMon, 02 Jul 2012 21:56:14 +0000staff writers16800 at http://www.ekklesia.co.ukCharities urge Prime Minister to reconsider housing benefit cut for under 25shttp://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16781
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<p>Ten charities have signed a joint letter to the Prime Minister in response to proposals to cut housing benefit for under 25s.</p>
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<p>Ten charities have signed a joint letter to the Prime Minister in response to Conservative Party proposals to cut housing benefit for under 25s.</p>
<p>The letter, which was published in The Times newspaper on 27 June calls for David Cameron to re-consider his proposals earlier this week, or risk having a "disastrous impact on thousands of young adults".</p>
<p>The full text of the letter is as follows:</p>
<p><em>Sir,</em></p>
<p><em>The Prime Minister’s proposals to cut benefits for under-25s will have a disastrous impact on thousands of young adults, especially at a time of record youth unemployment.</em></p>
<p><em>Tens of thousands of young people simply don’t have stable family and friends to go back to if they lose their job or fall ill. Young mums and dads, people whose parents have downsized or those who have experienced family breakdown will be particularly affected.</em></p>
<p><em>You don’t root out any excesses in the system by abolishing an entire safety net for young people. They too pay into the state safety net when they are working in the belief that it will be there for them when they need it. Evidence shows that when young adults claim support, many will need it for less than six months before they get back on their feet and into work.</em></p>
<p><em>We welcome open debate about the challenge of giving young people a fair start and making work pay. But with these ill-conceived proposals, the Prime Minister has gone too far.</em></p>
<p><em>Yours,</em></p>
<p><em>Anne Marie Carrie, Chief Executive, Barnardo’s<br />
Seyi Obakin, Chief Executive, Centrepoint<br />
Matthew Reed, Chief Executive, The Children's Society<br />
Leslie Morphy OBE, Chief Executive, Crisis<br />
Jane Slowey, Chief Executive, The Foyer Federation<br />
Fiona Weir, Chief Executive, Gingerbread<br />
Matt Harrison, Interim Chief Executive, Homeless Link<br />
Campbell Robb, Chief Executive, Shelter<br />
Jean Templeton, Chief Executive, St Basils<br />
Ian Green, Chief Executive, YMCA England</em></p>
<p>[Ekk/4]</p>
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Beliefs and ValuesLiving EconomyNews Briefcuts government cutsdavid cameronhousing benefitUK Newsyoung peopleFri, 29 Jun 2012 08:04:48 +0000agency reporter16781 at http://www.ekklesia.co.uk